Leeds United's Spanish defender Junior Firpo heads the ball with Newcastle United's English midfielder Anthony Gordon (L) during the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Newcastle United at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on May 13, 2023. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP)
Leeds, England: Newcastle dropped more points in its push for Champions League qualification by drawing 2-2 at Leeds, which remained in the Premier League’s relegation zone on Saturday.
The match was marred late on by a spectator walking up to Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and giving him a push in the chest before being escorted away by security.
Rasmus Kristensen’s deflected shot in the 79th minute earned Leeds a point but the team now managed by Sam Alladryce will come away from the match with big regrets because of errors by Patrick Bamford and Junior Firpo.
Leeds was leading 1-0 through Luke Ayling’s seventh-minute goal when Bamford was given a chance to double the advantage from the penalty spot after Firpo was tripped by Joelinton.
Bamford saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Nick Pope and, three minutes later, Newcastle striker Callum Wilson converted a spot kick at the other end after Alexander Isak was bundled over by Max Wober.
Firpo then had a moment of madness when he raised his hand following a cross into the area, with the ball brushing his fingertips to give away a penalty.
Wilson converted that one, too, right down the middle in the 69th only for Kristensen to equalize.
Firpo was sent off for a second yellow card in the first minute of stoppage time, during which there was an alarming incident that saw a spectator walk up to Howe in the technical area and barge him in the chest.
Newcastle stayed third but failed to rebound from a 2-0 loss to Arsenal last weekend and is now four points clear of fifth-place Liverpool.
